Ohio’s Community Mercy Hospice Personal Care Specialists Share Their Stories During National Nursing Assistants Week

During National Nursing Assistants Week, June 17-24, Ohio’s Community Mercy Hospice, an affiliate of Ohio’s Hospice, takes a moment to recognize and thank our personal care specialists for all they do 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to provide superior care to our patients and families we are privileged to serve.  
  
At Ohio’s Community Mercy Hospice, personal care specialists are state tested nursing assistants (STNAs). They provide the essential daily, hands-on care in homes, nursing homes and inpatient settings. As professionals, the personal care specialists are instrumental in promoting and safeguarding the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual well-being of the patients and their families.   
  
They participate as members of the interdisciplinary team and communicate any patient changes or updates to ensure proper response time and quality patient care. Ohio’s Hospice also has several STNAs who serve the organization in non-clinical ways, including scheduling and pharmacy services. Others serve as buyers, Hospice House coordinators and excellence educators.  
  
Our personal care specialists go above and beyond each and every day. They work days, evenings, weekends and holidays. They provide or assist with personal care, including but not limited to bathing, dressing, oral hygiene, hair care, meal preparation, feeding, transfers and exercises.    
  
Ohio’s Community Mercy Hospice is grateful and thankful for its personal care specialists’ kindness, compassion and expert care. They make a difference in the lives of patients and families with every interaction. We appreciate all they do to serve our mission.  
  
We invite you to get to meet two of our personal care specialists.

• Sheila Care became a personal care specialist after she took care of her father. “I realized taking care of people was very rewarding,” she said. Her favorite part of serving patients and families is the thankfulness of the families. 

• Candace Happney explained, “Everything about helping patients and their families makes every day worth getting up for work.” One of her favorite memories is helping make a patient’s last wish come true. She said that she will never forget the patient’s smile and laugh.